An Execution and Crucifixion in Saudi Arabia

On Friday, a ghastly execution took place in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, involving the decapitation and subsequent public crucifixion of Ahmed bin ‘Adhaib bin ‘Askar al-Shamlani al-‘Anzi, who was executed on a number of charges, including murder, abduction and homosexual intercourse. This comes right before President Barack Obama’s trip to the Middle East and Europe, set to begin in Saudi Arabia tomorrow. While the main goal of the President’s visit to Riyadh may be to garner King Abdullah’s support for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and to discuss regional policy towards Iran, Obama’s trip COULD also be an excellent opportunity for the President to bring attention to Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses, including the country’s frequent executions administered for a large variety of offenses, including many non-violent ones (see the Amnesty International UK report on Obama’s trip to the Middle East).

The vicious nature of Ahmed bin ‘Adhaib bin ‘Askar al-Shamlani al-‘Anzi’s execution showcases the excessive cruelty of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia and also brings up important questions regarding human rights violations related to the detention and mistreatment of prisoners in the Kingdom. President Obama COULD use this recent execution to highlight concerns regarding the brutality of Saudi Arabia’s death penalty, its widespread use and the secretive nature of trial proceedings in that country. He COULD point to the fact that executions in Saudi Arabia are often disproportionately directed towards non-Saudi citizens.

But, given how arbitrary and disproportionate the US death penalty is, the gruesome execution that took place in Saudi Arabia Friday will probably go unmentioned.

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36 thoughts on “An Execution and Crucifixion in Saudi Arabia”

That was so gross and so unfair! I've never seen a cruel execution this bad since the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ! But given how cruel human rights abuses like the execution are in Saudi Arabia, I can truly hope that al-Anzi made his peace with God (Allah) before he was cruelly killed by his country. R.I.P. 🙁

That was so gross and so unfair! I’ve never seen a cruel execution this bad since the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ! But given how cruel human rights abuses like the execution are in Saudi Arabia, I can truly hope that al-Anzi made his peace with God (Allah) before he was cruelly killed by his country. R.I.P. 🙁

See how cinema imitates life, & in both men of the law are ultimately much more murderous than the criminals, socalled ? Which is why "good guys" in films have survival rates much higher than the "bad eggs", while in life it's even more one way — it's society which contributes to crime, while individual criminals contribute little to society. No wonder Christ readily guaranteed the man on the next cross a prize – seat ticket to dinner in paradise, but could only appeal ( & very lamely ) to God's highly questionable mercies when it came to the b(r)aying executioners. And the father's no pushover like his son.

See how cinema imitates life, & in both men of the law are ultimately much more murderous than the criminals, socalled ? Which is why “good guys” in films have survival rates much higher than the “bad eggs”, while in life it’s even more one way — it’s society which contributes to crime, while individual criminals contribute little to society. No wonder Christ readily guaranteed the man on the next cross a prize – seat ticket to dinner in paradise, but could only appeal ( & very lamely ) to God’s highly questionable mercies when it came to the b(r)aying executioners. And the father’s no pushover like his son.

If any good can be found, in this tragic event, it's that the decapitation killed him quickly, and before he was crucified. As long as we continue to murder criminals; lynch blacks; burn mosques & synagogues; torture and/or murder LGBT's, and disreguard the Geneva Convention, I don't think that Pres. Obama's imput would carry much weight. Despite this man's crimes, I'm certain that God had forgiven him, and I have faith that God made certain that his death was painless.

If any good can be found, in this tragic event, it’s that the decapitation killed him quickly, and before he was crucified. As long as we continue to murder criminals; lynch blacks; burn mosques & synagogues; torture and/or murder LGBT’s, and disreguard the Geneva Convention, I don’t think that Pres. Obama’s imput would carry much weight. Despite this man’s crimes, I’m certain that God had forgiven him, and I have faith that God made certain that his death was painless.

TAKE IT EASY GUYS
I SWAIR TO GOD IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DEATH PANALTY IN SAUDI ARABIA
WE WOULD BE JUST THE USA IN THE CRIME RATE
PANALTY IS ONE THING AND FORGIVENESS IS ANOTHER
HE MIGHT BE ALREADY BEEN FORGIVEN BY GOD, BUT IS THE RIGHT OF THE GUY WHO HE HAD MURDERD TO BE SENTENSED TO DEATH .
AN EYE FOR AN EYE

TAKE IT EASY GUYS
I SWAIR TO GOD IF IT WASN’T FOR THE DEATH PANALTY IN SAUDI ARABIA
WE WOULD BE JUST THE USA IN THE CRIME RATE
PANALTY IS ONE THING AND FORGIVENESS IS ANOTHER
HE MIGHT BE ALREADY BEEN FORGIVEN BY GOD, BUT IS THE RIGHT OF THE GUY WHO HE HAD MURDERD TO BE SENTENSED TO DEATH .
AN EYE FOR AN EYE

Why saudi goverment gives death penalty in public, saudi government is hardly working for human rights to save the humanity, for example in india there was one incident happed in new delhi, college student raped in government campuss, that time Mr. L.K. Advani ( Hindu Hardliner) annouced for this crime government should follow the Sahria law to punish the criminals,

Why saudi goverment gives death penalty in public, saudi government is hardly working for human rights to save the humanity, for example in india there was one incident happed in new delhi, college student raped in government campuss, that time Mr. L.K. Advani ( Hindu Hardliner) annouced for this crime government should follow the Sahria law to punish the criminals,

What's so cruel about it? Instant death — less painful than lethal injection. Less painful that donating blood at the red cross.

The issue is — was the guy guilty of the crime? One guy was found guilty of five child rapes — including leaving a 3 year old in the desert to die.

Here is clue — you do that, you deserve to be sliced up BEFORE they cut off your head.

I In fact, this punishment probably is really a deterent, while sending punks to prison to be in gangs, is not.

We have 2 million people in jail – and if there were room enough, we could have 5 million people in jail. Is it working? We keep doubling our prisons. You tell me if its working. The punks are getting more status in jail.

The guy with his head cut off isnt getting a lot of status. And young punks aren't trying to be him.

What’s so cruel about it? Instant death — less painful than lethal injection. Less painful that donating blood at the red cross.

The issue is — was the guy guilty of the crime? One guy was found guilty of five child rapes — including leaving a 3 year old in the desert to die.

Here is clue — you do that, you deserve to be sliced up BEFORE they cut off your head.

I In fact, this punishment probably is really a deterent, while sending punks to prison to be in gangs, is not.

We have 2 million people in jail – and if there were room enough, we could have 5 million people in jail. Is it working? We keep doubling our prisons. You tell me if its working. The punks are getting more status in jail.

The guy with his head cut off isnt getting a lot of status. And young punks aren’t trying to be him.

Awesome, GAME OVER! If the guy's guilty of CHILD RAPE, and MURDER, including a boy's father, dispatch him quickly and cheaply. Blade or bullet, so what. Get on with it… society will move on as though he never existed.

BTW for you whiners… he doesn't get a pass because he's gay. It's irrelevant. That kind of bs only happens, sadly, in the 'civilized' world. I'm talking about crimes of malice here.

If anything, he was let off easy b/c his death was to quick for the crimes he committed against children. They should've crucified him first, left him out in the sun for a few days to let the animals pick at him and then behead him in a public execution versus just killing him first.

While it's a rather barbaric form of punishment…I have to imagine that crime would drop dramatically in the US if we had Capital Punishment akin to the Saudi's crucifixion, stoning, amputation and various other forms of physical punishment. Their views on females are pretty ridiculous, but I find myself agreeing with their Capital Punishment methods.

I hate to point out the obvious but that man, and all like him, gave up their right to be treated like a human being when they stopped acting like one.
They took away their victim's human rights when they violated them the way they did, so why should they be allowed to live and maybe get a chance at getting out of a prison and ruining more innocent lives?
I agree that some of Saudi Arabia's reasons for execution/mutalation are stupid – but murderers, rapists and the like should be removed from society before they can encourage others to become like them.
At least this country's methods seem to discourage the majority of people from committing such horrible crimes that seem to be so popular here in Britain and in America.

Awesome, GAME OVER! If the guy’s guilty of CHILD RAPE, and MURDER, including a boy’s father, dispatch him quickly and cheaply. Blade or bullet, so what. Get on with it… society will move on as though he never existed.

BTW for you whiners… he doesn’t get a pass because he’s gay. It’s irrelevant. That kind of bs only happens, sadly, in the ‘civilized’ world. I’m talking about crimes of malice here.

If anything, he was let off easy b/c his death was to quick for the crimes he committed against children. They should’ve crucified him first, left him out in the sun for a few days to let the animals pick at him and then behead him in a public execution versus just killing him first.

While it’s a rather barbaric form of punishment…I have to imagine that crime would drop dramatically in the US if we had Capital Punishment akin to the Saudi’s crucifixion, stoning, amputation and various other forms of physical punishment. Their views on females are pretty ridiculous, but I find myself agreeing with their Capital Punishment methods.

I hate to point out the obvious but that man, and all like him, gave up their right to be treated like a human being when they stopped acting like one.
They took away their victim’s human rights when they violated them the way they did, so why should they be allowed to live and maybe get a chance at getting out of a prison and ruining more innocent lives?
I agree that some of Saudi Arabia’s reasons for execution/mutalation are stupid – but murderers, rapists and the like should be removed from society before they can encourage others to become like them.
At least this country’s methods seem to discourage the majority of people from committing such horrible crimes that seem to be so popular here in Britain and in America.

DUHHHHHHH this is the SAME society that STONES women to DEATH for adultery.. or assumed adultery…. the same society that "marries' 10 year old GIRLS to 60 year old men is that not RAPE? The same society that allows fathers to KILL daughters for the slightest "crime'.. what is wrong with all of you..????
YOU ARE SICK…
PS PRIESTS have molested and raped CHILDREN in the USA.. shall we cut off their heads.. then tie them to a cross??? or as some have said.. crucifiy them first.. then cut off their heads..
he who has not sinned.. cast the first stone… literally….

DUHHHHHHH this is the SAME society that STONES women to DEATH for adultery.. or assumed adultery…. the same society that “marries’ 10 year old GIRLS to 60 year old men is that not RAPE? The same society that allows fathers to KILL daughters for the slightest “crime’.. what is wrong with all of you..????
YOU ARE SICK…
PS PRIESTS have molested and raped CHILDREN in the USA.. shall we cut off their heads.. then tie them to a cross??? or as some have said.. crucifiy them first.. then cut off their heads..
he who has not sinned.. cast the first stone… literally….

some jerk says
"While it’s a rather barbaric form of punishment…I have to imagine that crime would drop dramatically in the US if we had Capital Punishment akin to the Saudi’s crucifixion, stoning, amputation and various other forms of physical punishment. Their views on females are pretty ridiculous, but I find myself agreeing with their Capital Punishment methods"
Ridiculous??? no YOU are ridiculous i guess stoning a woman to death at age 13 for being gang raped is just 'ridulous".. no.. not.. it is BARBARIC

some jerk says
“While it’s a rather barbaric form of punishment…I have to imagine that crime would drop dramatically in the US if we had Capital Punishment akin to the Saudi’s crucifixion, stoning, amputation and various other forms of physical punishment. Their views on females are pretty ridiculous, but I find myself agreeing with their Capital Punishment methods”
Ridiculous??? no YOU are ridiculous i guess stoning a woman to death at age 13 for being gang raped is just ‘ridulous”.. no.. not.. it is BARBARIC

I’m fairly certain that no one was advocating any of the many negative examples you provided with regards to how women are treated in the Saudi culture and I apologize if you were unable to infer that I was merely voicing my support with regards to the punishment handed down to that child raping animal that the Saudis recently put to death.

Since you seem rather incapable of carrying on a civilized discussion given your coarse and inane style of expressing your opinions, for future communication endeavors; it would most likely behoove you to make an attempt to not look like such an uneducated child when you’re trying to express your opinions.

I’m fairly certain that no one was advocating any of the many negative examples you provided with regards to how women are treated in the Saudi culture and I apologize if you were unable to infer that I was merely voicing my support with regards to the punishment handed down to that child raping animal that the Saudis recently put to death.

Since you seem rather incapable of carrying on a civilized discussion given your coarse and inane style of expressing your opinions, for future communication endeavors; it would most likely behoove you to make an attempt to not look like such an uneducated child when you’re trying to express your opinions.

In USA they killed people by Poisoning, Electric Chair Shock, Hanging, Gas Chamber – all this are very cruel. Because on the killing system the victim have a terrible pain for long time.
But in the Islamic Law the murderer executed within few seconds.